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Helped a little with a young peeps Christian fishing camp here in LA. Did only a little talking because who wants to hear someone talk when there's a stocked pond right there?
Beforehand I found out the camp didn't have much tackle so went out and spent some $$ at Academy and a local for-real bassin' store called Toledo Tackle (good peeps, different owners than the one by T-Bend).
I wanted to get stuff for the kids that I would fish – because I wasn't counting on the bass being dumb enough to bite anything, and wanted to give them the best shot at catching 'em. Academy had a bunch of the basic stuff and I noticed these 2 things:
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Cool Lunkerhunt idea to package baits by "use case" and I guess peeps dig those VMC RedLine Hooks! 👀
At Toledo Tackle, I saw some old Roboworm packaging, seems like local folks like fishing Berkley and Jewel jigs, and found a new bait company I've never heard of called Motivated with a cross for the T. Anyone ever use their stuff?
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Heading back to fish with the kids tomorrow, looking forward to it. A bunch of kids who want to learn (a couple think they know it all lol) and no cynicism/negativity – the way it should be!
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If your email program cuts off the bottom of the email click "View this email in your browser" up top to see the whole thing. Sorry bout that – email programs keep changing stuff.
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5 Qs with the shallowest person in bass yakkin' 😁Drew Gregory
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Drew has won the kitchen sink in kayak bassin'. In fact, he's so sick of winning everyone's tournaments he started his own yakkin' trail! 😁 Okay the last part is true. And get this: He's done it beating the banks, sometimes in ankle-deep water. Here's 5 with him:
1. You won this year's Bassmaster Kayak Classic, you already won AOY and you have more kayak wins than I bet anybody – what's left for you to do in kayak fishing?
> "You know, I would love to keep winning at this level but right now I am really focused and excited about this new kayak fishing trail I started called the Kayak Adventure Series. Competitively I've accomplished everything that I wanted to, so everything else after this is just gravy."
2. Why did you start your own kayak tour?
> "I want to leave this sport better than I found it. Kayak fishing is so much fun, especially in its root of getting to places where other boats can't – so that is the foundation of the Kayak Adventure Series. If this trail can get new people into kayak fishing and leave a positive impact on people, I'm happy."
3. When guys say they're catching 'em like Drew Gregory or they "Drew Gregory-ed" their way to catching fish, what do you think that means?
> "I just think that means that they found fish in water that was overlooked by 95% of the field. They're not easy to find and it takes some effort to find and catch 'em. I think it's doing something very creative within the rules to catch winning fish."
4. You designed your kayak with a motor angle that helps in skinny water – is that just for you or do you think more kayak anglers should fish up shallow?
> "Any way that I can be more efficient up shallow, I'll figure out a way. I love that I can maneuver my Torqeedo motor to help get me through current on my Crescent Kayak, even in ultra-skinny water.
> "But I think while so many [people] fish shallow, certain aspects of shallow water are [still] relatively untapped."
Follow-up: What advantage do you have fishing so shallow?
> "I think I am just good at finding fish that are untouched.... Especially nowadays with technology, I feel that some of these shallow, hidden fish simply don't see baits anymore."
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5. All this shock and awe with JDM baits and FFS and yet you keep things very simple while a lot of people probably overthink bait selection. How do you keep yourself from chasing all the new stuff?
> "...I go into each event focusing on where I will be fishing instead of what baits I will be fishing. Chances are the fish I find won't be too hard to get to bite. So I don't really follow all the new JDM bait buzz."
Bonus Q: What's one big thing bass boat fishermen can learn from kayak fishermen?
> "Technology and FFS is all the rage right now, but fishing instinctually shallow, and beating the bank, is still alive and so important to developing as an angler. I know that's not super kayak-specific, but I believe with more and more anglers getting offshore that some may be losing their instincts that are important as an angler."
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Getting baits down to FFS fish fast means...here come the lines
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Yep we all know that FFS is diving innovation, which is always happening in bassin' anyway – one thing that makes it GRRRRRRREAT! (That's Tony the Tiger AND Dave Mercer lol). So far we've seen FFS drive new jigheads, new soft-plastics, new jerkbaits, an entirely new bait category (Berkley's new stuff) and rods...and now lines.
First some interesting stuff from the Seaguar website, from Brandon Palaniuk and Matt Becker:
Damiki rig fishing
> "For one, you are going to cast your bait much further, simply because the [new JDM Seaguar PEX8 Braid] diameter is so much thinner," said Becker, who prefers 18-lb PEX8 with a leader of 8-lb Seaguar Tatsu when fishing this way. "This is critical when reaching fish way out in front of the boat.
> "The other thing is that a thicker braid will catch more water and drag, which will cause your bait to rise more. The thinner diameter gives you much better control of the bait, so you can keep it right where you want it."
> Brandon: "One of the significant benefits of the smaller diameter of Seaguar PEX8 Braid is that you have a straight line to your bait. Many anglers don't realize how much of an arc is in your bait with standard braids, which can hinder the bait's action.
> "All of the action is imparted by shaking your rod, but it requires a little slack in your line. You can't just shake the bait with a tight line. It's similar to a walking bait or jerkbait, where you have the right rod twitch cadence to get the bait to shake and roll. A thinner braid, like PEX8, allows you to control the bait more so it doesn't rise or hop up and down as much.
> "When you set the hook, you pull in a lot of line before it gets tight. A thinner diameter will give you a better hookup simply because you don't have as much slack out there."
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Jerkbait fishing
> Matt: "...you can get your baits at the perfect diving depth. As a general rule, every 5 lbs of line size will affect the diving distance of your jerkbait by approximately 1'. Having 10-, 12-, 14- and 16-lb test options lets me get as technical as possible.
> "A few inches of diving depth can be critical when fishing above brushpiles or vegetation you see on your sonar. It can also matter for targeting specific fish you see. You can dial in your presentation and ensure your bait is not diving too deep or shallow...."
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Sinking braids
We're gonna see more of these because they already exist for fishing for other species. Here's one – at ICAST KastKing is announcing a new braid called Hammer FFS which sinks:
> A common problem with most braids is that they float which can impact the bait's...ability to effectively stay within the strike zone. Hammer FFS 9-Carrier Micro-Filament Braid allows your bait or lure to achieve maximum depth stability by getting into the strike zone faster and staying there longer.
> Hammer FFS...is approximately 55% heavier than water, allowing the line to remain neutral in the water column. This higher specific gravity allows for more line control, especially on windy days for maximum casting distance.
> ...Hammer FFS breaks through the water surface faster allowing the bait or lure to get in front of the fish more quickly. ...less line slack which translates into more immediate hook sets.
Will come in 8-30 lb:
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More and different types of fluoro leaders
According to salty fishermen, freshwater anglers – at least ones who are not in Japan – are waaaaay behind when it comes to understanding fluorocarbon leaders. In other words, cutting off some your favorite fluoro mainline to use as a leader is pretty much never done in the salt...because they are tailoring their leaders to depth, bait type, bait action and maybe more.
Here's a couple that have come out in the bass market recently, and I wouldn't be surprised to see more at ICAST:
Yo-Zuri SuperFluoro Leader
Yo-Zuri is big in saltwater, and that SuperFluoro leader material was made for and tested by its salty pro staff. Salty fluoro is a little stiffer and more abrasion-resistant than "regular" fluoro, and knot strength is better too.
Why would you want that in a leader? The big reason is of course structure and cover, like wood and docks. Another reason if you know you're around really big fish, like in FL or TX. Since it was developed for tuna, etc, I gotta believe it'll stay together for an 8- or 9-lber.
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Seaguar fluoro leaders
Seaguar has had a range of fluoro leaders – Gold Label is the best, then Fluoro Premier, then Blue Label. I THINK (not sure) that Blue Label is the stiffest and thickest, and Gold Label is the thinnest and strongest.
And it just intro'd the JDM Grand Max leader, which is like Gold Label in terms of knot and strength, but is stiffer.
So again – the bait, water temp, conditions maybe including water clarity and possibly other factors should and probably will go into fluoro leader choice.
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A few interesting deals that are coming at ICAST
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Some companies pre-release some of their stuff, some wait til the Big Show. Here's a few deals that caught my eye, no particular order.
1. Interesting new Z-Man EWG hook
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Called the ZWG, made for the Z-Man ElaZtech "superplastic" baits but will work with any soft baits, will come in 3/0, 4/0 and 5/0. Black nickel-plated hook with a dual-tapered point. The obvious deals (to me) are those 2 "things" on the hook:
> To lock the nose of each bait tightly in place, nice and tight to the eye, a conical molded plastic keeper sits on the neck of the hook.
> To keep the bait aligned perfectly on the hook, a low-vis silicone bead rides the hook bend, holding the hook point flush to the bait and eliminating the need to Texpose the hook point. The specialized “sticky” bead grasps and pins the bait in place, maintaining a natural, optimal presentation on every cast.
Guess the question would be whether the bait being held in place can interfere with hook penetration, but I gotta believe the Z-Man folks didn't overlook that!
90-sec YT vid on it here.
2. KastKing Bait Kapsule
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KastKing prez "Big Al" Noraker developed this thing after his dog got hooked in the boat. Sign me up for it because it looks like it's idiot-proof. Meaning I've tried those velcro plastic deals and they're better than nothing but they're not idiot-proof enough for me...somehow. 😁 Deets:
> ...it’s made of hard plastic and...snaps shut, so there’s no doubt that it’s closed and doing its job.
> ...it’s ventilated so hooks and baits can dry naturally without rusting.
> ...a concave underside that rests perfectly against a rod blank.... Rod sleeves slide right over it no problem.
> ...built-in hanger that attaches easily to the keeper on a rod, the crossbar of a casting reel or the reel stem of a spinning reel.
> [Protects dogs and] your considerable investment in high-dollar lures.
Might be in the head-slapper/no-brainer category for me. Here's Al talkin' 'bout 'em on YT:
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On the same note – anyone use those neoprene (or whatever) rod sleeves yet? If so, pls lmk what you think....
3. Billy Dance-designed Gamakatsu crankbait circle hook?
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Gotta say I kinda feel like I'm being punked on this'n, but I'm assuming it's for real:
> Incorporating the circle hook design increases an anglers hook to land ratio significantly, vs a standard treble-style hook....
> Bill: “I believe using crankbaits in heavy cover is an untapped angling opportunity for several species. I designed this hook specifically for crankbaits in heavy cover and I have been thrilled with how well it works."
My question: Okay they might stay pinned better, but what about getting them pinned in the first place?
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4. BFL happenin's
AR River, OK – OK's Blake Capps won it fishing main-river eddies with a Super Spook and a Biffle Bug in current seams around rock jetties, then downriver with a BOOYAH XCS1 squarebill on laydowns.
High Rock Lake, NC – NC's Ronnie Smith caught 'em on a big worm and a jig on stumps, brush, high places in 18'.
Ohio River, IN – Always curious to see how tough it is. In this'n IN's Braxton Munson caught 6 keepers flipping wood with a Reaction Innovations Smallie Beaver. His best 5 weighed 10-14. 2nd was 8-09. 😬
Old Hickory, TN – TN's (via CT) Robert Timms won it on a point in the back of a creek arm:
> “There was some milfoil that sits off the point in 4-5' of water. It drops off to 8-10'. I could see on my ActiveTarget that the fish were moving in and out, and there’s a lot of bait in the area. They were feeding on the bait. I started throwing a ChatterBait up on the point and bringing it out, and those fish were coming up and just crushing it.”
> ...he was primarily fan-casting across the point instead of casting to specific fish...using a white/chartreuse Z-Man Evergreen JackHammer with a 4" Keitech Easy Shiner (sexy shad).
Dardanelle, AR – Won by AR's Richard Pieper on a Snag Proof Bobby’s Perfect Frog:
> “I was fishing shallow-water weeds...2.5' or less. I had to have current. It had to be around current-based weeds where there was a little bit of flow through the weeds.”
5. CA: Cool ultralight dropshot deal in MLF college win
Won by Simpson U's James Hawkinson on the Cali Delta:
> “I ran up north to Sycamore Slough and I was throwing a topwater, a Teckel Kicknocker. I caught my big one on that, right over 5 lbs. After that tide fell, I just chased that clean water back toward the central Delta.”
> Once the tide was high he worked a hard-bottom trough with a dropshot and a wacky-rigged Yamamoto Senko.
> For his dropshot...used a 1/32-oz weight. “It was a super-small weight because I didn’t want it to go through the grass. I just wanted it to sit on top.”
6. Is Hank Parkers PawPaw bait a FFS bait too?
Sounds like it. In this FB vid he says one version (they are all lipless) suspends and is a slow-sinker, and can be fished just like a jerkbait. Get 'em here.
7. Cool vid of the new FishLab BBZ Hard Swimbait
ICAST intro, here's a peek, the full vid is here:
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How Gussy fishes a marabou jig
For smalls but could catch anything – from the Bassin'masters:
> The key with fishing [them] is to never let them hit the bottom. The effectiveness comes from simply gliding or swimming them through the water column. As a general rule, I like to keep them in the middle...if the water is 6' deep, I want to run my jig around 3'. If it’s 10' deep, I’ll try and run it around 5'.
> I use the 3/32 the most, relying on the 1/16 if fish are higher in the water column or I’m fishing under 5'. I’ll go up to the 1/8 if I want to get down a little deeper or I’m battling wind and current.
> ...you simply reel them slowly, similar to a spybait, making them great for covering water on vast flats....
> ...if you put these little jigs in front of them and they don’t know you’re there [long casts], you’re going to get a bite.
He likes the Northland Marabou Jig, which has so many feathers on it it looks like a feather duster – but don't second-guess northern folk when it comes to marabou jigs! And:
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"...most of the time people quit right when they’re knocking on the door of breaking through...."
- Mark Daniels Jr talkin' wisdom, the hard-earned kind. The rest:
> "...that was me, but I didn’t quit and I feel like that’s the only difference from myself and other individuals who haven’t made it to professionalism as far as fishing goes. So my advice to [peeps going after the pro bassin' thing] is to follow it through, follow your dream all the way to the end."
Post points out that MDJ got a boost by winning the 2013 Bass Federation National Championship and getting the "Living the Dream" package for '14. I'd forgotten about that! 💪💪
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Why is this wally the exact same color as a dill pickle??
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Jay Kumar's BassBlaster is a daily-ish roundup of the best (sometimes worst) and funniest stuff in bassin', hand-picked by me – Jay Kumar. I started BassFan.com, co-hosted Loudmouth Bass with Zona, was a B.A.S.S. senior writer and a bunch more in bassin'. The Blaster is the #2 daily read on any given day in the wide world o' bass so thanks for readin'!
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